The Desert Prince
by dragonmad
Summary: Post OOT. A new prince, gannon's return, and a new quest... JUST READ AND REVIEW PLEASE! Chapter 4 is up!
1. Ganonwho?

Legends of Hyrule 01: Gannon's Origin and the Desert Prince

At the beginning of time, there were two kingdoms, that of the Gerudo, who dwelled in the desert, and that of the Hylilians, who lived in the great land of Hyrule. A peaceful and kind king, Ganondorf, ruled the Gerudo and many disliked them for their peaceful ways and resourcefulness, and as such, a curse was put onto their king. The curse would be sealed when he put his power with the king of hyrule's and the deku tree's to bring the triforce into the world as to use it's power. As he spoke the words, he was transformed into a great beast, which attacked all in it's path and eventually found it's way back to the Gerudo desert. Eventually he changed back, but he WAS changed as well. He silenced his newborn child's cries with slaps and his queen left into another land soon after. Then the gerudo people began to change as well, becoming more like their leader. It is said that it is possible for the curse to be lifted with the triforce's power, but only a true heir to the Gerudo line can even hope to possess the triforce of power.

Nekoji Gerudo followed the strange yellow fox who called himself Keaton. "And your sure I'm not hallucinating?" He asked again. "Positive…" Keaton reassured him for the thousandth time, before pushing him into a "tree" which acted as a portal to Hyrule.

He landed on his back in the middle of what looked like a ranch. A teenage girl with red hair, about his age, was poking him with a stick when he opened his eyes. When she saw him wake up, she shouted to someone behind her, "Dad, Dad! He's awake!" then she turned back to him, "Hi, sky boy, nice to see you've finally woken up." "Wha- sky boy?" He asked, sitting up, "Where's Keaton? I wanna' ring his little yellow neck!" He tried to stand up but the girl just pushed him back down, "Whoa there sky boy, you're not going anywhere until you tell us what you're doing here, and why you look so much like Gannondorf!" A decently large man came up behind her, "Now Malon, you can't just assume people are bad 'cause of what they look like. However, you do have a point, boy, who are you? You're the spitting image of Gannondorf…" Nekoji just blinked at them, "Gannonwho?" He asked.

Malon took his shoulders and shook his shoulders roughly while shouting, "GANNONDORF! THE EVIL KING THAT LINK BEAT AND STUFF!" Then the man pulled her back away from him, "Sorry, she just gets this way when she's curious." He said, smiling weakly, "Now boy, you said something about a Keaton? Well, I saw one in the field earlier, and it left a book outside our gate. M' name's Talon by the way, and this is Malon." He motioned to the girl who was glaring at him with her hands on her hips. "I'm Nekoji." He said, standing up. Talon then pulled a book out of his rucksack and handed it to Nekoji, "I think this belongs to you, it has your name in it." Talon said. Nekoji gratefully took the book.

Several hours later Nekoji was lying on a pile of hay in the downstairs of the house, after accepting a job as a ranch-hand. After that, things got essentially normal for a while, though a month later the adventure truly began.

"LINK!" Malon shouted, rushing to the gate, towards a boy in green and hugged him. Nekoji was bringing hay to the horses as Talon came out and they had a decently lengthy conversation. Then he heard Talon shout "Nekoji come over here! There's someone who wants to meet you!" Nekoji shrugged and walked towards them. The person in green froze as he saw Nekoji's face, after he brushed away his longish orange hair. "Y-you! How did you escape!? I defeated you!" He shouted, pointing an impressive looking blade at Nekoji. "Uhh… do I know you?" he asked, looking at the sword. "Don't lie Gannondorf!" He shouted, jumping off his horse and taking a step towards Nekoji, "Again with this gannondorf person! Who is this guy and why does everyone say I look like him!?" He asked, slightly annoyed. "Stop it Link!" Malon shouted before link could move closer, rushing between them, "He's not Gannondorf! He doesn't even really know who Gannondorf is!" Link, though grudgingly, sheathed his sword and sighed, "Fine, if you say so Malon…" He said, stepping towards Nekoji, "So you're Nekoji? The sky boy?" Nekoji shrugged, "Yeah, and might I ask who you are?"

"I'm Link." He said, holding out his hand, which Nekoji shook. "Link you just HAVE to stay for dinner tonight! Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease!" Malon said, tugging at his arm, "Oh alright…" Link said in mock boredom.

The dinner itself was relatively normal, though link kept glaring at Nekoji whenever Malon wasn't looking. Nekoji did the same, though merely out of annoyance with the distrust. Then it happened, the sky was bathed in a brilliant white light as they were about to see link off. As they looked up, three fireballs flew across the horizon and headed right towards them. One fireball was red, one was blue, and one was green and they were going insanely fast. The red fireball then dipped away from the others as they flew above the ranch and hit both Nekoji and Malon, and knocking them back into one of the ranch's fences. Nekoji just blinked as Malon was lifted of the ground by some sort of fire that emanated from her. "Help! What's happening to me!?" she shouted, obviously very scared. Link ran towards them, and Nekoji was trying to pull her down, but couldn't as his body wasn't even in his control, "I am Din! Goddess of power!" They said in tandem, both their eyes glowing a bright red, "I have borrowed the bodies of these two mortals o give you a message, Gannondorf was not slain! He still exists, and you Link, aren't the one chosen for this task. You must find the last heir to the gerudo throne! Only they can truly vanquish the evil known as Gannon!" Then they regained their bodies and everything flashed back to normal, Nekoji caught Malon just before she hit the ground, "Thanks…" she said, blushing a bit. "No problem, was the least I could do…" they stood there for a second, Nekoji was blushing too, though it couldn't be seen in the darkness, "Umm… you can put me down now…" She said. Nekoji quickly did so. "Well… you heard her… er, them, er… yourselves… I've got to find this heir…" Link said, mounting his horse, "Wait link! Take me with you!" Malon said. "and me too…" Nekoji added, coming up behind her as she chased him. He tripped though and fell behind. He was quickly on his feet though and whistled then shouted, "Pheiben!" A large white horse that had taken a liking to him galloped towards him.

He quickly jumped on and rode after link, scooping up Malon as they passed her. Though she quickly shoved around him and took the reins, Pheiben sped up when a more experienced rider had the reins. They caught up to link as e was racing down the road, "Take us with you!" Malon shouted to link, who began to slow down. "Okay, fine…" He said, slowing his horse to a stop.

After a while they stopped under some trees and set up camp. Nekoji made the fire while Malon got water, and link set up two tents, "Sorry Nekoji, only two tents…" He wasn't doing a very good job at hiding his happiness, but Malon wasn't paying any attention, "It's okay, you can stay with me…" Malon said, leaving both Nekoji and Link openmouthed. "What? You saved my life, and there's room for two anyway…" she said. Nekoji just nodded, Link just stormed into his tent in an angry huff.

Malon sighed and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the tent, which was actually larger than it looked. Then they hung a sheet in between them and ended up falling asleep, pressed right against each other, but still with the sheet in between them.


	2. Gifts from a friend

Malon was half asleep as day broke. It was very cold for a spring morning and she felt something warm next to her. She pressed closer to the sleeping form of Nekoji, actually knocking down the sheet they'd used to separate themselves in the night and causing it to land on her head, totally waking her up. She let out a small scream which woke up Nekoji, who let out a few colorful words, which woke Link up. "Out! Out! Out!" She yelled, shoving Nekoji out of the tent, his shirt still off from the night before. Link burst out laughing, and Nekoji was still half asleep so he barely took notice, he just put his shirt on and sat against a tree, remembering the events of last night. He just shrugged and then blinked, standing there right in the middle of camp, was Keaton. Link saw the look on his face and looked at Keaton too. The only sound in the camp was the rustle of clothing where Malon was getting dressed in the tent. "Keaton… I should bust kill you right here but considering the events of last night, I'll save that for later…" "Very wise, as I bring you another gift." And so Nekoji walked up to Keaton, who released a small package from one of his tails, it was about the size of a pen, but wider. He took the package and unwrapped it, inside was a sword's hilt, and at the bottom was a sharply pointed purple gem. "Now hold the sheath with the gem pointed downward and press one of your thumbs into the point." Keaton said as Malon climbed out of the tent. "Oh my god! A Keaton!" She shouted, running over and hugging him. "Umm… can you please… let go of me…" Keaton asked, obviously uncomfortable, but Malon wasn't paying attention. Keaton's fur was so soft…

Nekoji did like Keaton said and once he had pressed his hand against the gem, he'd slit his finger and the gem seemed to absorb the small amount of blood, and it changed to a deep blue color and began to glow. "Uhh… Keaton?" "Don't… worry… that's… normal…" He said through Malon's chokehold. The hilt suddenly changed in form. A blade sprouted out from the hilt, the blade itself was about 5 feet, 7 inches long, and was a deep blue like the gem, it was shaped more like a butcher's knife as it had a long curved edge on one side, and the other side's edge was straight but just as sharp. "Wow…" Nekoji muttered in amazement, knowing he'd never seen the blade before, but at the same time, it felt so familiar to him.

Malon eventually heard Keaton's plea's to let him go, and was now staring at Nekoji's sword. Keaton then released a sheath that was just the right shape for the blade. "This sheath is infused with the same power as the blade, and so it will keep the shape of the blade if it ever changes. Funny though… your blade looks strangely similar to the blade of the man who controls the Triforce of power." Keaton mused. Link stood up, "Ganondorf!? He has a sword like that too!?" Keaton shook his head, "That WAS Gannondorf's blade."

Link stood up and strode towards a dumbstruck Nekoji, then he suddenly pinned him against a tree, the Master Sword pressed against Nekoji's neck. "Ganondorf, reveal your plan now or I sw-" He stopped mid-sentence as a familiarly evil (and slightly annoying) laugh echoed through the clearing, and standing on a limb of the tree Nekoji was pinned to, was the REAL Ganondorf . "Link… I believe we have some unfinished business to attend to… namely your demise!" Then he vanished, leaving an army of at least a thousand stalfos surrounding them though.

"Okay… can you get off me now?" Nekoji asked, shoving link away. Keaton backed Malon up against a tree, bearing his teeth at the stalfos. His tails, however, flickered in the directions of Malon, Nekoji, and Link, tossing an object to each of them. Malon caught a bracelet that had a Triforce symbol embedded into it with a ruby, sapphire, and emerald. "Put it on and I'll explain how it works later!" Keaton shouted, rushing into the fray. Nekoji caught a glove with two falcon symbols stitched into it, and link caught a mask with white hair and blue lines across it's eyes. "Put them on!" Keaton shouted as he got closer.

Link slid on the mask and transformed into a figure with the same shape as the mask, with a different sword too. Nekoji slid on the glove, however, and it disappeared into his skin, leaving two black falcons tattooed on his right hand. They began to glow and Nekoji transformed into a beast that resembled Gannon's beast form, though his was much skinnier and had wings. "Jeon! You know what to do!" Nekoji//Jeon, as his new form was called, roared in approval and annihilated any stalfos within ten feet of him, flying in circles around Link.

Malon, however, was having trouble figuring out what her bracelet did, and the stalfos were getting closer. She'd actually given up on life when she somehow shot a fireball into one of the stalfos, incinerating it. Soon they were all in the fray, and the stalfos were destroyed.

Jeon then suddenly changed back into Nekoji, who slammed into a tree right next to Malon. "Ow…" He mumbled, causing a giggle from Malon. Link pulled the mask off, reverting back to his normal self. "Okay… Keaton? Right?" Link asked, "Explain, now!"

"Okay, I guess you deserve that. I'll explain yours first Link. Your mask is known as the fierce deity's mask, and is infused with the powers of a god. When you wear the mask, you will gain those powers. Next, you Malon. Do you remember when Din took over your body?" Malon nodded, "Uh huh!" Then she blushed a little, remembering how Nekoji had saved her. "Well Din actually left some residual magical power in your body, which that bracelet allows you to channel." Malon blinked, "But if it's just left over power then won't it run out?" She asked. Keaton chuckled, "Don't worry, you could release that energy in as big a blast your body can handle, and it would still outlast you by over a hundred years."

"And what about me?" Nekoji asked, growing impatient, also worried because his power was so drastically different from theirs. "Your power is your own, released from it's seal by that glove. You are Gannon's son, therefore you have some of his power, mainly, your own version of Gannon, Jeon." "So that creature that had control, was me?" Nekoji asked, worried that it could take total control, "Yes… and no… Jeon is part of you, though he is powerful, he cannot take control, he is merely an embodiment of power that was given to you when you were born."

"Wait a minute! Did you just say I'm THAT GUY'S SON!?"


	3. At the Castle

Chapter 3 NOTICE

**Yeah… I have NO readers at all at this point… but what happened was that I got grounded and so this sat in my computer for almost an entire year… I thought for sure they would've deleted it off by now… but hey, I'm not complaining. My style has changed a tad, too, but the story shall continue!**

Back to the story

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Link suddenly shouted, rushing towards Nekoji, but Keaton quickly knocked him to the side. "Calm down Link… He isn't affiliated with Gannon. "Keaton explained. Link leaned back against a tree, unconvinced. "So what now?" Nekoji asked, not bothering with more questions at the moment. "Gannon is gathering new followers and power as we speak, and as such, we should do the same, as the army you previously vanquished, is nothing compared to the combined might of his total alliance. Go to Princess Zelda, the Hylilian army very well could be our only hope…" Keaton said, slowly transforming into a tall, yellow horse with a black mane, a familiar trio of tales, and fox's ears. "Nekoji, I shall take your steed's place for the time being." "Whatever you say…" Nekoji muttered, shrugging and climbing onto Keaton's back. The supplies had somehow been packed into their appropriate places.

Link and Malon quickly mounted their horses and the group set off towards Hyrule Castle.

one week later: Hyrule Castle

Zelda paced the throne room, for the past week there had been growing numbers of attacks on the castle, and each was always on a larger scale than the last. She looked out a window, waiting for some word from the soldiers. Soon, a guard approached her, kneeling, he said, "My princess… three travelers have requested an audience with you. One claims to know you, he calls himself _Link." _Zelda's heart soared, "Send them in." She said.

Several seconds later two guards escorted a small group inside. She instantly recognized link, his loose, golden hair and green clothes set him apart, though she was curious to the identities of his two companions. One was a girl with bright red hair and a decent spring in her step, she was dressed like a peasant, except for a bright golden bracelet on her right wrist. The other was a boy, he had shoulder length and bright orange hair, and though his skin was much lighter than the green of the evil man's skin, he looked a lot like a teenage Gannondorf. He was dressed in a manner that would best fit an unarmored knight, and he had a massive blade on his back that looked too big for him to carry.

"M'lady…" Link said, "from the rumors I've heard, you already know of Gannon's return?" Zelda shook her head, "So he has been the one making attempts to recapture the castle. And who are your friends?" She asked, looking at the two who flanked Link, the boy looked especially uneasy now that she had directly mentioned him. "Oh, right, sorry… this is Malon…" He motioned towards the girl, and she smiled brightly, "Hi!" she said enthusiastically. "And this is Nekoji…" Link said, motioning to the boy. "Uhh… hello…" He said, obviously uncomfortable and very nervous.

"So you formed a team and you didn't even bother to invite me?" Zelda pouted, turning away from them. "What? No! They're my Uhh… sidekicks! Yeah!" Zelda smirked and turned around, just in time to see Malon and Nekoji simultaneously slamming their fists into the back of Link's head, "Sidekicks eh?" Malon fumed. Nekoji just nodded, _boy, is this kid ever going to say __**anything**__ besides hello__**?**_ Zelda thought, sighing.

"Zelda, we need your help, and anyone else's who's able. Gannon has a gigantic army and we don't have much time!" Link pleaded. "Agreed" Zelda nodded, all in all he had a point. Though naturally before she could do anything else, the windows shattered, and stalfos climbed in all around them. "Finally I'm back in my element…" Nekoji said, his voice, though also reminiscent of Ganondorf's, was much softer, much calmer. _He's not Gannon… but who is he? Zelda wondered, half watching him as she fought through the stalfos that had now encircled them._

_Nekoji smiled as he pulled out the large sword on his back, remarkably holding it up easily with one hand, despite it's size. Then, even more to her amazement, he swung it as if it were a rapier. _


	4. Why do you fight?

**I was re-reading chapter 2 and I realized that I made a few errors… aka, I got the words hilt and sheath mixed up, for the most part…**

For this and the rest of the chapters hence forth, as well as the one that came before this:

Disclaimer: I don't own anything directly mentioned from the Zelda universe.

_Why!_ One of the skeletal Stalfos warriors fell, _Do!_ Several more fell. _You!? _Nine more fell. _Keep!? _At this point he'd lost track, but he was certain they were making a dent in the crowds. _ATTACKING US!?_ He finished, swinging the blue blade and wiping out an entire area of the Stalfos. Nekoji laughed quietly to himself, noticing the way the princess had been looking at him. There was something beyond scrutiny in her eyes. _Fear?_ He thought curiously, grunting a bit as he stabbed through another Stalfos, realizing at this point that they were being aided by the guards, and that the Stalfos were trying to run away now.

"Stop! They're leaving!" Nekoji shouted, causing everything to suddenly grow still. "I didn't mean literally…" He mumbled, though something about the princess's gaze tipped him off. He sounded like his father, and the guards were on him in a matter of four seconds.

"Wait!" Malon pleaded with the princess as Nekoji was taken off in irons. He'd gone peacefully, much to the surprise of the guards and the princess, though the birds tattooed on his hand were flickering, like he was forcing himself not to use some form of magic. "Not yet." The princess said. "Unfortunately he's got to be held for now, until I believe he isn't like his father." She said, glaring at Malon. "He just helped us take out an army that was after YOU and you don't trust him!?" Malon shouted, her eyes flickering like Nekoji's hand, hinting at a controlled power. "Know your place girl!" A guard shouted, grabbing Malon by her wrists and pulling her along, out of the throne room.

Some time later

"I'm sorry… I shouldn't have brought you here…" Link said grudgingly, leaning his back against the bars of Nekoji's cell. Nekoji was leaning back in the corner, grinning to himself. "It's cool, man…" He said calmly. "What?" Link asked, raising an eyebrow. "Never mind… the point is that I forgive you." Nekoji said, "But I don't suppose you could talk the princess into at least un chaining me? You two see-" "Link has no influence that can help you here, boy." Zelda said, walking down the dimly lit hallway and stopping outside of his cell. "Your Highness…" Link said, bowing. "Oh enough of that." Zelda giggled, in a way that reminded Nekoji of Malon. He suddenly felt bad and realized, "Where is Malon?" He asked.

"I'll ask the questions, Gerudo boy." Then something clicked in Zelda's mind. "How were you conceived? It was said that a male Gerudo would only be born every hundred years, yet you are Gannon's heir… what ARE you?" She asked, overcome by curiosity.

"He's only half Gerudo." Said a familiar voice, stepping out through the shadows was the large yellow fox that was Keaton. "'Bout time you got here…" Nekoji grinned, standing up, his shackles just falling to the floor as he stretched. "He speaks the truth, your highness. I am Nekoji Gerudo, Half breed heir to the Gerudo throne." He said, giving her a half bow.

"You seem… different now." Zelda noticed, ignoring his sudden defiance of the laws of nature. _Anyone in the company of a Keaton…_ she mused. "Excuse me; I'm just not the type for formalities." He said calmly. "Now I don't suppose I'm allowed out?" He asked, though no disrespect was evident in his voice. "I think you've proven yourself…" Zelda said hesitantly.

_KILL HER!! _Jeon's voice echoed in the back of Nekoji's mind. Nekoji gritted his teeth. _You want to settle the score with Gannon? __YES!__ Then she lives. __Very well… for now…_

_Interruption- Horrible time to mention this… but I realized I probably broke about ninety rules of Zelda-back-story… err… sorry? Not much I can do now, so bear with me. I'll come up with a reason for all the lore-breaking… probably_

_Later, outside of the castle_

"_Subjects! The beast known as Gannon is stirring once again, and I have chosen a group to act as our land's champions, in order to quell the monster, and prevent him from gaining power once more." Zelda shouted and even Nekoji, who was leaning against a house in the marketplace, could hear her. "You think we're going to need fruit in the desert?" Malon asked, holding Keaton (who had changed into a sort of kittenesque pup) against her chest, and was looking at the stall's wares. "Hell if I know…" Nekoji shrugged. "Though it couldn't hurt to take a few apples with us." "A-whats?" Malon asked, blinking at him. Nekoji stared at her incredulously, "Fruits from my world." He explained, shaking his head, "Never mind… You pick. Link's still at the palace so he can't complain." He added wistfully._

_Keaton hopped down from Malon's grasp and padded over to Nekoji. "I need to ask you something." He said, leaping unnaturally high and settling himself on Nekoji's head. "You've already decided to fight Gannon, something that surprised me." "That isn't a question." Nekoji said, watching Malon as she busied herself over picking fruits. "My question is a simple one, and one you'll have to answer for yourself eventually. Why do you fight?"_


End file.
